Blog #2 Research and the Reflective Practitioner

I believe this journey into exploring Web 2.0 and it's many components has taught me many things. Most importantly I have learned that I am no where near as technically savvy as I thought I was. I am actually the opposite, and instead totally out of the loop besides the bare minimum. I have learned that simply knowing how to surf the web, compose emails and socialize on FB is not being savvy!! I am not discouraged though, because I am getting exposure, playing around and becoming familiar through trial and error which is how I learn best. In order for us to keep up, we must expose ourselves and that is what I am doing!

I think that in my current business role we could use some technical integration. I need to first become more familiar and then try to promote! Both blogs and wikispaces seem like something that might be effective in my current role. I plan to share the following site with those on my training team.

http://www.squidoo.com/blogs-and-business

This explains a little how once thought of as a social tool only, blogs can be used very effectively in the business world.
In my role we have employees in both the UK and in North Carolina. We are constantly fighting deadlines, going around and around with meetings and emails. The use of a tool to keep things central and allow everyone to be on the same page is exciting.

I have mentioned to some of those on my team what I am exploring, and they have yet to show any interest. It is now up to me to continue to become familiarized and present a good case for why these tools are positive and how we can make them work for us!

Twitter

So I signed up for a Twitter account, and never thought I would...
I am not sure how I feel about Twitter. I have always had mixed signals about Twitter. I understand the value in "Tweeting" but also see the downside of it. I am uneasy about my whole life being posted out there. I do get the value of staying connected, but think there is a whole lot of nonsense Tweeting. I am going to continue to play around with it, and see how I can make it work for me! I was able to locate some of our classmates and will continue to see who else I can find!

BLOG#1

As I think about the Internet as I have known it,has been merely a place to retrieve information. I never thought of it that way before the introduction of Web 2.0. This has opened up all sorts of doors. The extent of my social networking has been that of Facebook. Already though, only one week into exploring this unknown material, I am seeing the value more and more. Although I do not currently use these tools; I can see myself becoming more familiar with them and promoting them. I plan to work as a trainer, and would love to see the capability's of social networking here in my company. I believe it would provide an interactive tool, a way of learning rather than that of traditional learning, which many of us have become too accustomed to.
This grouping of those in similar communities to me is exciting, and
I am looking forward to integrating these tools, when they have become more normal than foreign to me!